Council seeks feedback on new roadside memorials policy

A new policy covering roadside memorials in Shepparton is aimed at reducing tensions between grieving families and the community.

The Shepparton council is giving the community a chance to have its say on the draft policy, which provides guidelines for the placement of roadside memorials.

The new policy calls for the memorials to be located away from the road so they do not distract drivers and requires families to apply for a permit for a permanent memorial to save it being removed after 12 months.

Mayor Jenny Houlihan says she hopes the guidelines will save grieving families from the anguish involved in moving a memorial.

"What we want to do is make sure that people are able to retain their roadside memorials if they can but have a conversation with council first so that we know that when they go there they will be able to stay there without any problem," she said.

She says roadside memorials are increasingly causing problems in the community.

"When big machinery comes along, graders, mowers, they can get damaged," she said.

"So it may only be proposing that we discuss that with the people that have the memorial and just shift it just a little bit further back.

"Sometimes people have said they're very upset about having a memorial close to where they live, especially if they witnessed the accident."